An Inspired Chat with Kiara Tanta-Quidgeon

We recently had the chance to connect with Kiara Tanta-Quidgeon and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kiara, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Who are you learning from right now?
I am always learning from Indigenous knowledge keepers and culture bearers. This includes our Elders, who have guided our communities through generations of resistance, cultural preservation, and the ongoing fight for our rights. It also includes Indigenous youth, who are courageously walking in two worlds—reclaiming traditional practices and identities while navigating colonial systems that were never built for us. Whether through teachings, conversations, or simply witnessing their strength, these are the people I learn from every day.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Kiara Marie Tanta-Quidgeon, and I am also called Keesuk Pahôhtáw (Sunrise) by my Mohegan kin and community. I am an early-career, community-engaged social entrepreneur, researcher, and writer committed to centering Indigenous voices in the pursuit of health equity.
I recently graduated from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, earning a Master of Public Health degree and a certificate in Social Determinants of Health in May 2024. I completed my undergraduate studies at Quinnipiac University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science Studies in January 2022. During my time at Quinnipiac, I established the university’s Indigenous Student Union and currently serve as an Advisor on the organization’s Alumni Council. I am also a Research Collaborator at the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health and a Research Assistant at Harvard University, supporting Indigenous community-based participatory research projects. Additionally, I serve as a Project Coordinator/Health Equity Consultant at ACBC Consulting, where I work on projects that support community leaders in fostering equitable and long-term social resilience.
In April 2024, I was honored with the United National Indian Tribal Youth Inc. (UNITY) 25 Under 25 Leadership Award with a platform to foster healing through cultural connectedness. To build upon this platform, I established the Sunrise Healing Community Inc. (SHC) in January 2025. Today, SHC is a non-profit organization with a mission to empower Indigenous youth (ages 14-30) to foster healing through cultural connectedness and revitalization. Through engaging social media content, monthly newsletters, educational workshops, and community gatherings, we create both virtual and physical spaces where Indigenous youth can access culturally-grounded healing resources and opportunities, share their stories, connect with peers and mentors, and be unapologetically Indigenous. We envision a future where all Indigenous youth have the tools they need to heal, lead, and thrive–where youth are empowered to connect with their cultures, communities, and the land without shame or fear.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
It’s not just one moment, but a collection of moments that have shaped who I am and how I see the world.

For as long as I can remember, my life has been touched by drug and alcohol use. I’ve watched my father, my uncle, cousins, and other loved ones struggle with addiction, and I’ve witnessed how deeply it impacts not just individuals but entire families and communities. Throughout these experiences, I have learned that healing is not just personal—it’s collective, and it must be grounded in community, culture, and self-determination.

I’ve also learned that mainstream systems of care often fail to see this, and seldom do they understand the root causes of our pain. This has shaped my worldview: that culturally grounded healing—led by and for our communities—is essential for health equity.

This understanding has guided my path as a social entrepreneur, public health professional, researcher, and writer. I believe the solutions to the challenges our communities face already exist within our cultures, ceremonies, and stories. My work focuses on lifting those up—whether through research that honors traditional healing practices, community programs that (re)connect youth with culture, or storytelling that helps break generational cycles and reclaim our narratives.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I was fifteen years old when my uncle Shawn died of an overdose. My father, who has also struggled with drug and alcohol use, has been largely absent from my life, and my uncle was the closest thing I ever had to a dad.

Losing him shattered me.

That grief—strong and palpable—stayed with me throughout high school, weighing heavily on my mental health. For a long time, I didn’t even know how to talk about it—let alone turn it into something meaningful.

Everything began to shift during my senior year of high school, when I started applying to college. I applied to programs in biology, health science, and related fields—anything that would allow me to pursue a career where I could honor my uncle’s memory and prevent other families from experiencing the same kind of loss. When I got to college and began diving into coursework that explored well-being, healing, and eventually public health, I felt my pain transform into power and purpose. That’s when I stopped hiding it.

I realized I could carry my pain with me—not as a weight, but as a driving force. It became the foundation for my path as a student, researcher, and community advocate, and continues to fuel my commitment to community- and culturally-grounded healing work in Indigenous communities and beyond.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, and no. What I share—my passions, my commitments, my work—is all real. But like many people, there’s a lot the public doesn’t see.

What doesn’t always make it into posts or presentations are the hard days—the days I struggle to get out of bed, the moments I miss deadlines, or the quiet hours I spend questioning whether anything I do is enough. Despite all the healing I’ve experienced in recent years, I still carry the weight of past trauma, and I still navigate the ongoing work of maintaining and protecting my mental health and well-being.

So while the public version of me is true, it’s not the whole story. It’s one part of a much more complex whole. But I’m learning that both can exist at once—that I can be strong, passionate, and committed while still navigating my own challenges behind the scenes. And perhaps the most “real” thing I can do is acknowledge that both of these parts of me exist, even if I don’t always show it all.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people will tell stories about what I built. From the Indigenous Student Union to the Sunrise Healing Community Inc., I’ve poured my heart into creating spaces that uplift Indigenous voices and support healing through culture and connection, and that is something I am immensely proud of.

I hope people remember me as someone who didn’t just dream of change but helped create it—someone who built something that made a lasting impact on Indigenous communities and beyond.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kiaramtantaquidgeon.com/sunrise-healing-community
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiaramtantaquidgeon/ and https://www.instagram.com/sunrisehealingcommunity/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiaramtantaquidgeon/ and https://www.linkedin.com/company/sunrise-healing-community-inc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Sunrise-Healing-Community/61575204063841/#

Image Credits
Sukhmani Kaur
United National Indian Tribal Youth Inc. (UNITY)
Sunrise Healing Community Inc. (SHC)